Sindhu breezed into the second round. Courtesy: PTIRavi Choudhary

Syed Modi International: PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen storm into Round 2

Top Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen have advanced to the second round of the Syed Modi International Super 300 tournament. Both players secured straight-game victories in their respective singles matches on Wednesday.

by · India Today

In Short

  • Sindhu defeated rising shuttler Anmol Kharb 21-17, 21-15
  • Lakshya defeated Malaysian qualifier Sholeh Aidil 21-12, 21-12
  • Kiran George, Ayush Shetty, and Meiraba Luwang Maisnam also progressed to 2nd round

Top seeds PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen advanced to the second round of the women's and men's singles respectively at the Syed Modi International Super 300 badminton tournament after registering straight-game victories here on Wednesday.

Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu defeated rising shuttler Anmol Kharb 21-17, 21-15, while Lakshya, 2021 world championships bronze medallist, powered past Malaysian qualifier Sholeh Aidil 21-12, 21-12 in another match.

Sindhu, who is returning to the tournament after a two-year hiatus, will face compatriot Ira Sharma, who triumphed over Deepshikha Singh 21-13, 21-19 in her opening match.

Lakshya will next face either Ravi or Israel's Daniil Dubovenko.

"It's always great to play in front of the home crowd. I've competed here in the past, but right now, I'm focusing on my next match. My goal is to do well in the BWF tournaments and at the World Championships," said Lakshya, the 2022 Commonwealth Games champion.

In the men's singles, third seed Kiran George, eighth seed Ayush Shetty, and Meiraba Luwang Maisnam also progressed to the second round. In the women's singles, second seed Malvika Bansod, fifth seed Anupama Upadhyaya, Isharani Baruah, Devika Sihag, Unnati Hooda, Tasnim Mir and Shriyanshi Valishetty all advanced to the next stage.

Malvika defeated Wiktoria Dabczynska 21-16, 21-7, while Anupama overcame Azerbaijan's Keisha Fatimah Azzahra 19-21, 22-20, 21-15. Hooda, meanwhile, beat Thailand's Thamonwan Nithiittikrai 21-12, 21-16.

In the men's singles, Kiran George triumphed over Alap Mishra 21-12, 23-21; Ayush Shetty outlasted Raghu Mariswamy 21-18, 15-21, 21-16; and Meiraba Luwang Maisnam defeated Thailand's Saran Jamsri 14-21, 21-19, 21-10.